Michael Featherstone
Unique, annual Sands & McDougall Directory for Melbourne Suburbs,
first and last believed to be 1862 – 1974 (Victoria, Australia)
Tasmanian families and their descendants in Melbourne and elsewhere
James Featherstone and Eleanor Salter who emigrated to Tasmania from Somerset
in 1842. See http://people.enternet.com.au/~beswick/jesfam/featherstone.htm
with links to other pages on the background in Somerset.
Then there is the mysterious Delia (Delila?) Featherstone who was supposed to
have been at Norfolk Plains (Longford) Tas, but whom we have never been able to
identify.
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Son of James Robert Featherstone and Sarah Elizabeth (nee Jefferson).
Stanley Featherstone b: 19/8/1903 Sculcoates, East Riding of Yorkshire
emigrated: to Melbourne Victoria Australia circa: 1924
Married Lizzy 'Rouge' Johnson circa: 1928 Died: circa: 1980s
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Michael Featherstone was an early settler in the Brighton South Australia , who came to South Australia on the ship "Hoogly" in 1839, with his wife Charlotte nee Cameron and two children, a son William Paul was born at sea, it is thought his first child, Sarah Ester died before they left England.
He took up land in Brighton allotment 16 of section 236, on which he built a very substantial home in about 1840 named Providence Cottage and later Avenue House now Brighton House, Minda Homes.
He was not an original Grantee of the land, as the records show that this section was originally granted to Matthew Smith.
Early in 1843 he gave an acre of land in the north-east corner of his property on the Brighton Road frontage as a site for a church, which was built and controlled by the Congregationalists. It was the first church and burial grounds in Brighton.
This old historic house is still in an excellent state of preservation. The
cedar doors, skirting boards, architrave's, etc. still bear witness of the
craftsmanship of those early tradesmen who built the home.
At the rear is the house are servants' quarters, consisting of underground rooms
without light or ventilation, typical of the days when they were built.
There is also a baker's oven and a covered-in cobbled carriage-way which leads
from the ornate stables to the rear entrance of the house. Large rooms with high
ceilings, marbled mantlepieces, a wine cellar of generous proportions, and other
appertenances all give an atmosphere of gracious living.
Michael Featherstone also set aside a piece of land described thus in Lands
Title Dept Records:
"Enrolled G.R.O. No 36, Book 23" -
"Except a piece of land being the south-western corner of allotment 16
containing by measurement in length from east to west 300 feet, in width 50
feet, reserved for a family burial ground."
This piece of land was always excluded when transfers from one owner to another
took place.
It was on this piece of land just behind the sand hills that the family vault
was built. The vault was built of stone masonry, with a brick arch over the
entrance, which was closed by means of a slate slab. On the top of the arched
roof was a brick superstructure in which were placed the marble tablets.
The tragic story of hardships and heartbreaks endured by the sturdy pioneers
is recorded on these marble tablets as follows:-
" The family vault of Michael Featherstone. Esq." (west side).
"In memory of Michael Featherstone, who departed this life August 31st
1854" (east side)".
In the vault beneath are deposited the remains of Michael Featherstone (jnr)
born July 14th, 1841, died December 14th, 1841; also John Featherstone, born
July 4th, 1846, died July 14th, 1846." (north side).
Subsequently his wife, Charlotte, was interred in 1867, and later his cousin,
Charlotte Smithson, and three infant grandchildren, Raymond, Minnie and Ethel
Featherstone",
(at a date not recorded )
There is also thoughts that the body of Michael and Charlotte's first child was moved from London to the vault, this may have been Sarah Ester.
Various suggestions have been put forward as to the reason why the vault was built in the sand hills. One was that Michael Featherstone wished to be buried "within the sound of the sea," but a more practical suggestion was that after the first child had been buried in the family vault in the cemetery attached to the Congregational Church (North Brighton Cemetery) the vault became flooded and so a vault was built high up on the sand hills at the rear of the Featherstone property.
A private Act of Parliament was passed on 19th June, 1856, to enable the executors of Michael Featherstone's will to carry out the necessary instructions contained in his long and complicated will.
The Property passed from the Featherstone family in 1877, when Mr. John Hodgkiss bought it.
Later, in 1882, Mr. Walter Hackett became the owner, and it was Miss I.M.
Hackett who gave the buildings which adjoined Minda Home to that Home for use as
accommodation for the senior girls.
The main building is now known as "Sunbeam House."
In the newspaper "The Mail" of 7th April, 1923, there is an account of the breaking open of the Featherstone vault by unauthorised persons. The damage was repaired, and for over 30 years the vault remained undisturbed, surrounded by olive trees, and became an object of interest to people young and old who cared to climb the sand hills in search of local history.
After several incidents of vandalism , a grandson of Michael Featherstone living in Sydney gave instructions through the Trustee Company to remove the remains from the vault and to re-inter them in the local cemetery. Mr. F.H. Trevelion, the undertaker, was engaged for the task at the time when vandals wrecked the vault, superstructure and iron fence surrounding it in October, 1954. They broke open the vault itself, destroyed the coffins inside and desecrated the final resting place of the earthly remains of three adults and five children.
Much speculation was made as to who was responsible for such vandalism and
for the reason for such actions. The newspapers reported the happenings in
detail, but no satisfactory explanations were advanced.
New coffins were made and the remains were interred in St. Jude's Cemetery on
2nd November, 1954.
So closed the story of one of South Australia's "earliest and wealthiest families" who received so much unwanted publicity so long after all association with Brighton had ceased.
***** The above article was found in a book on Brighton. S.A. at the
Genealogical Society, Swanston St. City.
Also found in State Library- application to travel to South Australia from
Holloway - Middlesex. U.K.
Included in number of immigrants in Adelaide newspaper. Occupation shown
as Smith. Passenger list :-
Michael 34 years
Charlotte 31yrs
daughter 3˝yrs (Martha)
daughter 1˝yrs(Hepzibah)
a son William Paul was born at sea on "Hoogley" from London in 1939.
Residences of Michael from Pigots 5th Edition London directories -
1832 Rag Merchants & Dealers (& Bottles)-
Michael Featherstone 65 Crompton Street, Clerkenwell
1836 Pigot's 6th Edition:-
Michael Featherstone- 6 Little Woodstock Street, Marlylebone.
1837/1839 3 Nottingham Place, Holloway, Islington East, Middlesex, England
Michael opened one of the first shops in Hindley Street and later Rundle Street, Adelaide South Australia. The Hindley Street store was run in conjunction William Smithson, his brother in law, husband of his sister Ester.
Michael's Will states that he and his wife ,Charlotte, separated in 1850.
Charlotte married one of her house servants, John Hambly/Hambley on 17th
October, 1854, about 7 weeks after Michael's death.
See the details of a new Publication on Michael's Life by
John Bishop
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- bc 1822 in Stanwell M'sex England( as stated on shipping records)
-1843 in West Ham. married James Clarke (bc 1821 Avesham? Essex, son of
John Clarke/Mary?
- 1855 emigrated to Australia aboard vessel Asiatic- landed in Sydney NSW
-d 1886 Redfern NSW
-Sophia had a cousin , Sir John Fetherstonehaugh of Brackly Castle Scotland.
Source of this information: Terence Walsh. I have been unable to prove this.
PARENTS:
-John Fe(a)therstonehaugh bc 1790/Sophia Gunnell. Married August 1st 1814 at
Westminster St. George, Hanover Square, London.
-John had a brewing business in Staines. He lost his wife's dowry in
buildings at Turnham Green.
-Records indicate that both John and Sophia were dead in 1856.( Assisted
Immigration records AONSW Reel 2135, 26th May 1856)
-Children of John/Sophia: Captain Unknown( of East India Merchantman);
Commander Ian (of Sloop of War); Sophia
CHILDREN OF JAMES CLARKE/ SOPHIA FEATHERSTONEHAUGH:
-James Thomas b 1844 Eastham Essex; Elizabeth b 1845 Bishopsgate
London; Sophia b1846 Stratford Essex ; Emma b1848 Stratford Essex (as
stated on shipping records- no other proof)
EMIGRATION:
-James and Sophia arrived in Sydney aboard the vessel Asiatic on 23rd May
1855 after a 9 month voyage. They were accompanied by their 4 children.
LETTERS: from James Fetherstone Howe b 1871(grandson of Sophia
Featherstonehaugh) .........Source of letters: Terence Walsh, Australia
(descended from Elizabeth Clarke, daughter of James / Sophia)
"Grandmother Clarke - I have also told her story. I might mention that she
was about Gran's build but with light coloured hair, almost golden. My
grandmother and Captain Featherstonehaugh were sister and brother."
"Grandfather Clarke- A big strong man with a strong temper. He was born in
England and most of his people are buried in Chiswick churchyard. Served his
apprenticeship at the Great Eastern Railway works. Left there and the day he
arrived in Aussie got a job in the NSW Railways. Started work under a
tarpaulin structure on a beautiful grassed paddock , afterwards the site of
the main railway station- made the first spring made in Australia. He saved
quite a lot of money which he got from very high wages . Helped to couple up
the first train that ran and rode on it to Parramatta and back.
He built the Captain Cook Hotel on Botany Road, made a small fortune and
lost it in other investments. Was foreman smith at Hudson's Railway Carriage
Works at Redfern , afterwards he built a Blacksmith and Engineering Shop in
Wattle Street Ultimo, again making a fortune and by sheer bad luck, lost it.
Killed by a bolting horse at Forest Lodge when 77 years old. Grandmother and
he were buried at Rookwood. He and family came out in the Asiatic, a 900 ton
vessel and were 9 months doing it."
Unique, annual Sands & McDougall Directory for Melbourne Suburbs, first and last believed to be 1862 – 1974 (Victoria, Australia)
Trial extract exercise from the alphabetical section of the first seven editions.
Generally property owners are listed but tenants of sole dwellings can sometimes be given instead.
That a single entry only appears for each year is just one of those things. Later editions have multiple entries.
1862 Nil
1863 Featherstone, Michael, Sandhurst Hotel, Collins-street east (Melbourne)
1864 Featherstone, M., 33 Nelson-road, Emerald Hill (Now South Melbourne)
1865 Featherstone, Sarah, 135 Flinders-street east (Melbourne)
1866 Featherstone, Dr., deputy-registrar births and deaths, Chapel-street Prahran
1867 Fatharston, William, Argo-street Prahran (spelling of surname copied as given.)
1868 Featherstone, J., Albert-street east Brunswick
An entry is known to be missing from the above
1867 Featherstone, Capt. J.F., 43 York-street, Emerald Hill (The ship's captain.)